Thats nothing new. This has been happening for as long as pets have been a thing. Not a whole lot people can do about it. You can ban it, but then they'd just kill the animal at home or abandon them. Its an unpleasant issue but one without a clear solution.

As much as I detest the practice, I'd rather know the pet was put down in a humane manner than seeing it killed by an owner who doesn't care or abandoned to fend for itself. Sadly, adoption isn't always an option....

He's an option, when an person destroys a pet have their name put on a list that forbids them from having any pets other than tropical fish.
They could extend that policy for people who have children and refuse to take proper care, snip. snip.